Alleged KTM ‘banker’ Isak Jameel Celikovic denied bail
One of the alleged bankers of the KTM drug trafficking syndicate has been denied bail months after his co-accused brother walked free.
One of the alleged “bankers” of the notorious drug trafficking syndicate KTM gang has been denied bail just months after his brother walked free.
Isak Jameel Celikovic was one of 20 men arrested in a mass police sweep of 25 southeast Queensland addresses in June this year.
Celikovic was charged with drug trafficking, drug possession, serious assault and several other offences.
Police allege he and his brother Aydin Imran Celikovic are the syndicate’s bankers.
In making an application for bail at the Brisbane Supreme Court, Celikovic’s defence barrister Angus Edwards KC argued he was not linked to “the use” of any cars that had drugs found in them.
“He’s not linked to safe houses while other people are,” Mr Edwards said.
“There’s no fingerprints of his, opposed to other people.
“It’s all other people. It’s just movement of money. So in my submission, this is a questionable case.”
He also said that Celikovic had shown progress in therapeutic treatment as well as reconnecting with estranged family – which was presented as a “significant protective factor”.
Justice Rebecca Treston denied Mr Celikovic’s bail application, saying that he was a severe risk of reoffending.
“The Crown opposes bail, primarily on the basis that he’s at serious risk of reoffending because he’s been involved in such a wide-scale profitable drug syndicate,” Justice Treston said.
“The difficulty is his brother is also at the (family) address and the brother is tied to the same criminal syndicate.
“The evidence suggests that if they were involved in it, they were involved in it together.”
His brother Aydin Imran Celikovic was released on bail five months ago.
While presenting her case, Crown prosecutor Nikita Aganoff showed a 12-second video to the court of Celikovic allegedly assaulting a kneeling man.
“It does show a real aggression on the part of the applicant, which I think does speak to the risk (if released on bail),” Ms Aganoff said.
“I do wish to highlight that…the applicant had acted alongside his brother in the financial side of the syndicate.
“Police had taken to this address to not be a suitable one.”
